Do you sit for hours in front of your computer? Or spend a lot of time in your car? And probably you tune in to the latest streaming shows from the comfort of your couch... A sedentary lifestyle is the number one enemy of your spine and musculoskeletal system, so instead of being glued to the sofa go out and hit the gym!
Exercise your muscles, bones and... fascia!
A sedentary lifestyle and too little exercise not only make you prone to becoming overweight, but can also lead to severe pain and diseases of the skeletal system Fortunately, gym training can be an effective way to counteract the effects of excessive sitting such as reduced muscle flexibility, sensation of stiffness, aches and pains, or limited range of motion.
Even though strength training is usually associated with toning and sculpting individual muscle groups, it also improves other – equally important – elements: the skeletal system providing a scaffolding for the muscles, and the fascia. Fascia is the soft tissue which envelops the muscles, bones, and body organs. Broadly speaking, it gives the body the right structure and form, as long as it is flexible enough. Insufficient physical activity but also, for example, poor hydration can cause thickening or deformation of the fascia, resulting in pain and reduced mobility.
However, just 6 to 12 weeks of strength workout are enough to increase bone density and improve the structure of the fascia that has lost its flexibility because of sedentary lifestyle. So by going to the gym, you not only work on your body shape, but also restore normal mobility and take care of your posture.
[Translate to English:]
Trening dla mięśni, kości i… powięzi
Zbyt mało ruchu przy siedzącym trybie życia to krótka droga nie tylko do nadwagi, ale też poważnych dolegliwości bólowych i schorzeń układu kostnego. Na szczęście trening na siłowni może być skutecznym antidotum na skutki zasiedzenia, takie jak spadek elastyczności mięśni, poczucie skostnienia, bóle czy ograniczony zakres ruchu.
Choć treningi siłowe kojarzą nam się głównie ze wzmacnianiem i rzeźbieniem poszczególnych partii mięśni, warto pamiętać, że mają też wpływ na równie istotne elementy: układ szkieletowy podtrzymujący mięśnie oraz powięź. Powięź to tkanka miękka, otaczająca nasze mięśnie, kości oraz narządy, która, najogólniej mówiąc, nadaje ciału odpowiednią strukturę i formę – o ile jest wystarczająco elastyczna. Zbyt mała aktywność fizyczna, a także np. słabe nawodnienie mogą powodować zgrubienia czy odkształcenia powięzi, które skutkują bólem oraz ograniczeniem naszej mobilności.
Już po 6-12 tygodniach treningu siłowego zwiększa się gęstość kości i zmienia struktura powięzi, która straciła elastyczność w wyniku siedzącego trybu życia. Faktem jest więc, że chodząc na siłownię, nie tylko pracujemy nad sylwetką, ale też przywracamy sprawność mobilną i dbamy o prawidłową postawę ciała.
Sculpt the body of your dreams
Studies show that a total of 3 million people in Poland go to fitness clubs every year, so there must be something to it! ? But what if you don’t want to join the ranks of the world’s top pro bodybuilders? No worries. Muscles like those you see in bodybuilding competitions take years to build, and only when you really want to. You can set yourself a goal of getting a beautifully sculpted body. The human muscular system is made up of over 600 muscles which contain more than 6 billion muscle fibers. You can do regular exercises to shape and tone most of them, though in fact you are already a strongman or strongwoman! Why? Because each of your muscle fibers is so strong that it can carry 1,000 times its own weight! So you have a perfect tool for working out in the gym.
What other benefits can you gain from regular strength training? It helps you get rid of extra kilograms – during a 30-minute gym workout you burn 200 to 300 kcal. It also has a positive effect on your overall physical condition.
More positive energy
Strength training also reinforces your character! Did you know that – according to scientists – exercising every other day may help you improve concentration and stress coping mechanisms by 26 percent, and your motivation by 32 percent? Besides, active people are simply happier. This is because when you exercise, your body releases endorphins – chemicals known as “happy hormones”. They are classified in the same group as dopamine and serotonin. They were discovered in the 1970s by two scientists – John Hughes and Hans Kosterlitz. Released during physical exercise, endorphins do a great job of lifting the mood and stimulating the feeling of pleasure. What is more, endorphins block pain signals and reduce stress. Sounds good? So, off you go! Hit the gym and harness the power of positive change!
But before you head out for your workout session, read a handful of interesting facts about exercise:
Research shows that coffee reduces post-workout muscle pain. Two cups of the brew were found to cut muscle pain caused by intense exercise by as much as 48 percent.
The official world record in squat lift (1,220 pounds or 553.3 kg) belongs to Mike Miller.
The strongman deadlift world record is 1,100 pounds (500 kg). It was set by Benedikt Magnusson.
The oldest active fitness instructor is probably the 80-year-old bodybuilder Ernestine Shepherd.
Human muscles are composed of up to 70 percent water, accounting for 35-40 percent of total body weight.
The Polish athlete Aneta Florczyk won four World’s Champion/World’s Strongest Woman titles – in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2008.
The Polish former strongman competitor Mariusz Pudzianowski won six Europe’s Strongest Man titles (2002-2004, 2007-2009) and five World’s Strongest Man titles (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2008). He won 66 of the 89 official competitions in which he took part.